


A River More Faithful

by 51PegasiB



Series: Fast Talk Verse [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Extremis Pepper Potts, Food, Menstruation, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Smut, Multi, Tony Stark Is Not Helping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 09:02:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5200052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/51PegasiB/pseuds/51PegasiB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper has to deal with cramps and exhaustion *and* the world's snarkiest genius billionaire? Something is gonna break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A River More Faithful

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from a poem by Lucille Clifton, "poem in praise of menstruation". 
> 
> NienteZero was my kind beta reader and cheerer-on.

Pepper slipped away from work early. 

She used to resist doing that, but she'd learned that the cost of being on all the time was going to be working herself to an early heart attack or a nervous breakdown. She had worked hard to institute excellent work/life balance for employees, and learned to lead by example. 

And since Tony and Bruce had found a way to rebalance the extremis serum flowing inside her, she had had much better control. Life was back more or less to normal, including her least favorite time of the month. The blood had come on yesterday and she was starting to get wicked cramps.

"I'll be checking my email later, but no calls, okay?" she said to her assistant. 

"Roger, boss. Have a good night," he said. 

She walked out crisply and let herself collapse when she got into the car. She took off her shoes and slumped in the seat. 

"Need to head anywhere before I take you home, Miss Potts?" 

"No, thank you," she said. "Straight home, please." 

He delivered her to the underground garage door. She didn't even put her shoes back on, just collected them and thanked him and slid into the elevator. As soon as she got to the apartment, she dumped her shoes and bag and keys just inside the door, then went to the bath off the bedroom, ditched her designer suit and stockings in a pile and showered off thoroughly, then got into her comfiest clothes and ordered a pile of food. 

She checked her supplies. "Jarvis, can you please have tampons and pads delivered, too?" 

"Can do, Pepper. Anything else?" 

"I want to read something schmaltzy and romantic. Can you find me something and send it to my tablet?" 

She curled up in bed with laptop, tablet, and a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels she figured Clint must have left. Then she promptly fell asleep. She woke up with a stabbing pain in her abdomen and feeling ravenous. She got up and padded groggily out to the kitchen. 

Tony and Bruce were there, digging into her pile of food. 

"Were you the one who ordered all this?" Tony asked. "We thought Thor was back early." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, grumpily. 

"Well, you're in a mood," he said and came and tried to kiss her. She pushed him off and retrieved what remained of the bacon cheeseburger he'd been noshing on. 

"I'm sorry Pepper. We should've checked with you. It's just...you're not usually home this early," bruce said, apologetically, pushing over the container of chili fries without being asked.

She just sighed and started eating. 

"Are you sick?" Tony asked, looking alarmed and edging away.

"Don't worry. I'm not contagious," she said kind of bitterly. 

"How can you be sure of that?" Tony asked.

She shot him a withering look. "It's been years, Tony. This happens every month." 

"Oh," he said. "Oh. Well, that explains it."

Bruce was shooting him a desperate cut-it-out gesture but stopped as soon as Pepper looked at him. "Explains what," she asked him.

"Why you were so frustrated with me this week."

Bruce sighed. 

"What? ARE YOU SERIOUS, TONY?" Pepper yelled. "You hung up on my mother." 

"She was talking too long."

"ON HER BIRTHDAY." 

Tony had the good grace to look lightly chagrined at that. 

Pepper could feel her anger triggering extremis inside her and she made a decision not to fight it. "Tony. Why don't you get the fuck out of my face. If you can't bring yourself to take me seriously, just leave me alone." 

Tony's eyes showed real fear as he backed away from her glowing skin. "I am sorry about your burger," he said at the doorway, then he fled.

"Oh, Pepper. I'm sorry," said Bruce. "You know he thinks he's being funny when he says things like that." 

She sighed and kept her skin burning. "Bruce, I am sick and tired of apologies about Tony, right now. I'm tired of making them, and I'm tired of other people making them. Why don't you go find him and tell him the two of you are sleeping in the guest room, tonight." 

He looked her in the eye and nodded, his face much more sympathetic and less fearful than Tony's had been. 

He went out. 

"Pepper, Sir is asking how he can make amends," Jarvis said after a few moments.

"He can't. Not right now, Jarvis," she said. "Please don't deliver any more communications from him till I ask for them." 

"Certainly. May I get you anything else at the moment?" 

"No thank you, Jarvis." 

"You are aware that most of the fixtures of this house are not flame-proof, much less capable of taking the current temperature of your epidermis?" 

"Oh, yes. Sorry, Jarvis. Better keep an eye on me." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply till she felt cool. She finished the half a burger and the pile of fries and took a pint of chocolate peanut butter ice cream to bed with her. She only ate half of it before deciding she was done and stashing it in the mini fridge in the bedroom. She moved her electronics to the desk in the corner and passed out in bed, only to have seriously irritating dreams of Tony and the many ways in which he could be an asshole. 

She woke up in the midst of choking darkness to alarm klaxons. "Pepper! You're setting the sheets on fire!" Jarvis called right before a giant green fist broke the door off its hinges and came and snatched her up, slapping the bed till the fire went out. 

Hulk didn't drop her, even though she could tell from the light reflecting off him that she was still glowing like an ember. "Okay," he said, trying to be reassuring. "Calm. No smash." 

She couldn't tell if he was assuring her he wouldn't smash her or if it was advice. 

Pepper took some deep breaths and cuddled up to him. "MMm...warm," she said. He was quite warm, now that her skin was cooling. Like a giant, green hot water bottle. "Thank you," she said.

"Welcome." Hulk made as to put her back in the charred bed. 

"No, please, stay?" she asked. So far, the Hulk was about the only man she'd had to deal with, today that didn't drive her crazy. "Will you stay with me?" 

He grunted his assent and laid down on the floor, carefully cradling Pepper against his chest. He pulled one of the less-damaged blankets down to spread over her. 

She hugged him and fell quickly back asleep. 

When she woke up, he was still there, huge and green and an excellent cushion. He had curled one large hand around her delicately. He was watching her and smiled when she looked up. "Feel calm? Good?" he asked. 

She nodded and stretched. "Thank you for staying. Should we have breakfast?" 

"Mmm. Food good. Banner," he said, closing his eyes as though to change. 

"No, I want you," she said. He opened his eyes again to look at her in surprise. "Hulk no cook." 

"We'll order. Jarvis? Call the diner and have them send me uh...two of everything from the breakfast menu. And please order in some Ben and Jerry's."

"What flavor?" he asked. 

"All the flavors. I don't care anymore, J. I want an indulgence day," she said. 

"Blood!" said Hulk in alarm, pointing at her pajama pants. "Hurt?" 

"No, not hurt. This blood is normal," Pepper assured him. "I'm going to shower and change. Stay here?" 

He nodded, seeming confused. She took a quick shower and changed into new comfy pants and stole one of Bruce's over-sized ratty t-shirts, then she came to snuggle up with Hulk, again. "Sick?" he asked her.

"Not exactly. It's called menstruation. Sometimes it hurts, but it's not the same as being sick." 

"Not hurt," Hulk seemed upset at the concept.

"I feel better when you're here." 

* * *

Hulk put the blanket over her again. When Tony peeked in the broken door fifteen minutes later, Hulk shot him a dirty look and put his finger to his lips. 

"Food's here," he said, in a quiet voice. "I didn't touch it this time." 

Hulk took pretty out to the kitchen, only breaking one part of the smooth hallway wall as he did so. She blinked awake when she heard the crunch. 

"Oh, breakfast!" she said, happily. Hulk sat on the floor of the kitchen as she spread it all out around him. 

"Try whatever you want," she said, munching on bacon. Hulk poked skeptically at some French toast, then popped it in his mouth. It tasted of banana and butter and nuts and was covered in something white and sweet. He liked it. he took another slice. 

"Good?" she asked him. 

He nodded. 

"Here, try this." She handed him a breakfast quesadilla. They worked their way through most of the tiny boxes. 

"Food too small. Need big food." said Hulk. "So many bites." 

She laughed. "Like trying to fill up on appetizers at a cocktail party."

Hulk didn't know what she meant, so he ate more tiny toast. 

When they got to the last waffles she clapped. 

"I have just the thing for these." She went to the freezer that was stacked with more tiny food. "What flavor do you want, Hulk?" 

"Flavor what?"

"What flavor of ice cream?" 

"Don't know."

"Can't decide?" 

"Never had ice cream." 

She closed the freezer and looked at him with amazement and sadness in her eyes. "Sometimes I forget how many things you never got to try." She opened the freezer and started pulling out all the little containers and passing them to him. "Here. We're going to try them all." 

He tried chocolate ones and ones with gooey stuff and ones with crunchy stuff and ones with swirls. He tried plain ones and ones with bits of cookie. They were all so tiny they were barely enough. The pretty took small bites of each before she handed them over, explaining to him what was in each one. He scooped out fingers-full from the tiny cartons, tasting each one thoughtfully and thinking about the combinations. 

By the time they finished doing that, they were too full to eat any waffles. Pretty lady took a look around the kitchen and then looked at Hulk. She laughed. "We're a mess." 

"Mess bad?" 

"Not necessarily," she said. "But getting clean can be as fun as getting dirty. Come on." She pulled on his hand and he got heavily to his feet, trying not to crunch anything as he did. "Jarvis, please ask Tony to clean up the kitchen," she said as she dragged Hulk back to the room where the fire had been. 

She went into the bathroom and Hulk hadn't gone with her before, so he stayed back now, till she pulled him in. There was a big pit made out of tiles there and she was filling it up with hot water. She put something else in - a little round ball and color and sparkles spread through the water. 

"Get in the bath," She said, taking off her clothes. Hulk imitated her, removing the shreds of puny Banner's pants and then got in. He could smell blood briefly, and much more strongly than the other day when it had come through her pants. 

"Not hurt?" he asked her again. 

"Not at all. I promise," she said. 

"No cut?" 

"No. Why don't you see for yourself?" 

She took his hand and spread her legs and slid his hand between them. He stroked over her skin, and there were bumps and folds, but no injuries. She made a noise, but it didn't sound like a hurt noise. He did it again. 

"The blood comes from inside. Out of my uterus. My body makes a bed for a baby, but if there's no baby, it gets rid of it once a month, and makes a new one." 

"Inside?" He slipped his finger into her and she gasped. He brought his hand out and it was covered in blood and something wet like th water, but thicker. 

"There's something you could do that might help me feel better, if you want to."

"Hulk help," he agreed.

"You don't have to if you don't want."

"Help," he insisted. 

She took his hand again and slipped the finger back inside her. She positioned his thumb in the folds of skin that led down to the bleeding hole. She moved his thumb fast, but not heavy and he took over doing that for her. 

"I'm going to make some noise, but it's good noise," she said. She rested her head back against the side of the tub. Her read hair was spread out through the swirls of sparkly purple and blue. 

"Pretty," he said.

She smiled at him and started to moan. She did make a lot of noise, but he didn't stop till she pulled his hand away. She was gasping and curled into his side. "Thank you," she said. "You have been great through all this." 

Hulk felt good about that, but didn't have any words to express the good feeling. Instead he patted her lightly on the head and she giggled. She fell asleep, again, curled against him. He was starting to feel drowsy, too, but he stayed awake to keep her up out of the water. Eventually he pulled her out of the bath and, dripping, brought her to the bed. He found a clean blanket and wrapped her in it, then laid down on the floor so he'd be there if she needed him. 

* * *

Pepper woke up a good six hours later. Bruce was on the floor beside the bed, snoring away. 

Tony was in the doorway, watching them both. She smiled a little and beckoned to him. He came and slid into bed behind her.

"I'm sorry I was a dick," he said. 

"I know, Tony," she said. 

"I really don't mean to be." 

She sighed. "But sometimes you are." 

"Sometimes I am," he agreed. "I called your mother. I apologized. I invited her here for Christmas. I'm gonna send her the jet."

She sighed again. "I'm glad you apologized, Tony. Thank you." 

"Sorry I was a dick," he said again.

"You said that," Pepper said.

"It seemed worth repeating," he said. "Especially because you haven't forgiven me." 

"I'm angry with you, Tony. For not taking me seriously and for thinking you can write off my emotions."

"Do you want me to go?" he asked, sadness in his voice.

"No. Because even when I'm angry, I love you," she said, putting her hand on his hand. 

"I don't deserve you," he said.

"No one can deserve someone else, Tony. That's not how it works. I choose to be here." 

"Thank you for choosing it." He hugged her close. 

She closed her eyes and let herself revel in it for a bit. "Did you clean the kitchen?" she eventually asked. 

"I...more or less," he said. 

"Tony..." she said in a warning tone. 

"Dum-E did fine," he insisted. 

she sighed loudly. 

"I love you," he said.

"I know." 

"I think it's so cute when you do that Star Wars thing." 

"I know that, too," she said. 

"You know...if you wanted orgasms, I could've done that for you, you didn't have to call in the Hulk," said Tony. 

"I don't want orgasms from people who don't take me seriously," she said, flipping around in his arms so she could fix him with a steely look.

His smile faltered. "I do, though. Pepper? I really do. I'm sorry I implied otherwise." 

"I know you're sorry. Just next time, think first." 

He frowned. "I'll do my best."

"That's all anyone can do," she said. She hugged him and stroked her fingers through his hair. 

They shared a quiet moment before Pepper spoke again. "Should we get Bruce up here in bed?" 

"He's probably fine. He's slept worse places," said Tony. 

"Hey!" protested Bruce, sounding groggy. 

"Well, you have." Tony said. 

"Boys, boys...I just want to rest," said Pepper. 

"Sorry, Honey," Tony nuzzled her shoulder. 

"I need to rest, too," said Bruce. "I feel like I was hulked out for like two days." 

"Uh....yes. Sorry about that," said Pepper. 

"I was?" 

"Well, over a day, anyway," she agreed. "He's a good guy to have around if you're sick of guys," she admitted.

Tony laughed. Bruce groaned. 

"Well, if that's not an impetus to keep you happy, I don't know what is," said Bruce. He looked up and gave her a mischievous grin, though. She could tell he didn't really mind. 

"Does this mean there's going to be ice cream wrestling and sparkly Hulk baths once a month?" Tony asked. 

"Maybe," she said. "Got a problem with that?"

"No. I just want in, next time," he said.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Always making it about you," she said. 

"Really? How can you accuse me of that when you're bleeding on me right now?" Tony asked.

"Oops. I guess Hulk couldn't really be expected to deal with that," she said. She sighed and got up and slipped into the shower, again. In the next room, she could hear the men appraising how much of the bedroom could be salvaged between the fire she had started and Hulk damage. She almost felt bad, but honestly, they'd have fun rebuilding it and they had needed new sheets anyway. She hummed happily to herself and then slipped into yet another comfy outfit while ordering pot roast and mashed potatoes for dinner.


End file.
